Terracotta Hydria with Achilles & Penthesilea by the Berlin Painter in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 2007

Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
Greek, Attic, red-figure, ca. 500 BC
Attributed to the Berlin Painter
Achilles and Penthesilea

Accession # 10.210.19

Penthesilea, the queen of the Amazons who assisted the Trojans in the Trojan War, was killed by the Greek hero Achilles. He fell in love with her even as he dealt the mortal blow. The Berlin Painter wraps the figures diagonally around the shoulder of the kalpis. For artistic effect, Penthesilea is disproportionately tall and assumes an unnaturally balletic pose. The composition, however, is admirably appropriate for its placement.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.